THE PUCK STOPS HERE Experienced goaltenders are prized by their teams in a league that emphasizes youth.
In its role as the development league of the NHL, the A former fourth-round draft AHL tends to value youth over experience. To make pick of the Red Wings (121st player development a top priority, the league enforces overall in 2001), MacIntyre has a veteran rule that limits the number of experienced seen NHL action with two teams, players that can dress for every game. appearing in two games with the Vancouver Canucks The veteran stipulation excludes goaltenders for a during the 2007-08 season and two games with the couple of reasons. First, goaltenders tend to take longer Buff lo Sabres in 2011-12. to develop than skaters. Second – and perhaps more MacIntyre split last season with three teams. He importantly – it’s logical to keep experienced goaltenders played two games in the KHL with Prague Lev, then on the ice to best approximate the scoring challenges that appeared in 10 games with the Reading Royals in the skaters will face when promoted to the NHL. ECHL before fin shing the year in Toronto. MacIntyre There are currently at least a dozen veteran led the Marlies to the second round of the playoffs, goaltenders playing between the pipes in the AHL, where they lost to Grand Rapids in six games. including a couple who will be familiar to anyone who One of the oldest goaltenders in the AHL is San has followed the Grand Rapids Griffins over the past Antonio Rampage netminder Scott Clemmensen, decade. 36, who is currently in his fi h year with the Florida Joey MacDonald, 33, is now with the red-hot Panthers organization after previous NHL stints with Abbotsford Heat after starting the season with the New Jersey Devils and Toronto Maple Leafs. the Calgary Flames. The Griffins’ career leader in A 6-foot-3 native of Des Moines, Iowa, Clemmensen goaltending wins with 109, MacDonald was 3-3-1 with has posted a 67-52-22 record with a 2.74 goals-against the Flames when Calgary put him on waivers on Nov. average and a 0.907 save percentage during a 10-year 2 following a 4-3 NHL career. His loss to the Detroit best NHL season Red Wings. came in 2008-09 The 6-foot when he went MacDonald, who 25-13-1 in New has seen action Jersey with a 2.44 with the Boston GAA and a save Bruins, New percentage of York Islanders 0.917 – not bad for and Toronto a former eighthMaple Leafs as round pick (215th well as Calgary overall) of the and Detroit, is Devils in the 1997 now looking NHL Entry Draft for another Joining opportunity to Clemmensen Griffins anchise goaltending wins leader Joey MacDonald add to his 42 on the Rampage has switched uniforms, now wearing the jersey of the red-hot career NHL roster is Dov West Division-leading Abbotsford Heat. victories. Grumet-Morris, “Some people come down (to the AHL) . . . and they 31, a Harvard University product who is back in San mope,” MacDonald told the Abbotsford News. “But Antonio, where he played during his fi st pro season you’ve got to work hard and get back up there. That’s in 2005-06. In between his Rampage stints, Grumetmy job now – to win every single game I get in and put Morris has made AHL stops in Portland, Hamilton, some pressure on myself, and it’ll happen.” Manitoba, Milwaukee and Hartford, as well as ECHL Another elder statesman is Drew MacIntyre, 30, appearances in Cincinnati and Greenville. He also who played with the Griffins during the 2004-05 and served as a Griffins backup for several games and spent 2005-06 seasons. Currently with the Toronto Marlies, two seasons playing hockey in Austria. the 6-foot-1 native of Charlottetown, Prince Edward A native of Evanston, Ill., Grumet-Morris is still Island, has 163 career AHL wins on his resumé, which waiting for his fi st opportunity to play in the NHL. includes AHL stops in Manitoba, Milwaukee, Chicago, In the meantime, he will be trying to top his best Hamilton and Rochester. AHL season for wins. He posted a 19-13-1 record
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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions